The Legend of Jack Sparrow improved
by skyequeen
Summary: Jack Sparrow has always been reknowned for being a 'ladies man'but what happens when a stowaway is found on the Black Pearl
1. Chapter 1

"I've caught a stowaway!"

Jack Sparrow caught hold of the back of the boy's shirt and dragged him into the air. The boy hung limply, like a soft toy and glared at the crew, who had turned round and were looking at him in an interested way.

The second in command- Jonathan Shreever- grabbed the boy from Jack and threw him onto the deck. The boy cowered for a moment, then tried to stand up but was pushed roughly back down by Shreever. He sulked, staring moodily at the planking of the deck.

"What shall we do with him, boys?" Shreever called to the crew, taking a swig from a belt flask.

"Who says we give him a punishment for tardiness?" There was a loud chorus of 'Aye's from the men.

"What'll it be, Jack?" The boy watched the Captain ponder his fate, a thinking expression crossed the tanned face and a ring-bedecked hand stroked his beard.

"You know, we should let him walk the plank!"

There was a monstrous roar of agreement across the ship.

"Aye, aye-the plank!" Repeated Shreever approvingly, nodding and looking pleased with the decision.

"But what say you to this young lad being our…extra hand on deck?" He paused, trying to explain it in a confusing way for the crew. They looked at him in horror. This boy becoming part of the crew? Surely not! What was their captain talking about?

"B-but Captain…?"

"You see," Began Jack, a smile curving the corner of his mouth, "Here is a boy, who quite…wrongly….stowed himself away on our ship!" He encouraged a response and there was a renewed vigour of 'Aye's!' around the deck.

"And tricked us into believing us he was part of our cargo! Therefore he should be punished!" More 'Aye's' and stamping of feet.

"He is obviously of a 'higher-class' than us poor shoddy pirates so what would be more shameful to 'im? Bein' 'imforced to be our cleaningboy or bein' locked up in the ship's bowls as a prisoner? I am lead consequentially to believe his higher class family would not approve him helping pirates, for us bein' unlawfullness in our excursions across these tretcherous and monsterous seas we sail apon, meeting all manner of terribly distressing creatures…do thee agree, crew?" Jack Sparrow's men had no choice to agree to what they didn't understand. Jack must know best… There was a disjointed mumble of 'Ayes'.

"Now let him clean the deck!" Finished the captain dramatically, throwing both arms in the air and trotting to the sip's steering. This produced a rousing response from the crew of the Black Pearl and suddenly there was a bustle of activity, running round in the sunlight, "Where's the mop? The scrubber?" as the men made the boy do their chore, so they had one less to do that week.

Tom gritted his teeth and glared at the scrubber that had just been thrust into his hand to scrub the deck with.

"Get scrrrubbin' !" Commanded Shreever jovially and shoved the boy unceremoniously onto the floor. The boy tried to get up again, but as a bucket of water was dumped by his head he gave up. What was the point of protesting? They had swords!

"Stupid pirates." He muttered grumpily and dunked the scrubber into the water to pull it gingerly across the first line of planking.

The deck took nearly all day to clean. By mid-noon Tom was sweltering hot in his normal attire and dying for a drink. Determined not to speak to the pirates or ask for any help with his work he toiled on. The pirates, for the most part, ignored him or forgot he was there. It wasn't malicious, it was laid back and just due to their relapse into a normal day at sea. But, as Tom was about to find out, life on Jack Sparrow's ship was never quite that 'normal' Listening to the crew talking, Tom picked up amazing stories and tales from their travels.

"You remember last summer?"

"Ha! And Davy Jones' crew?"

"That was something to be proud of. We nearly lot this little ship 'ere. That would have been the end for us, for Jack."

"Yeah, good 'ole Captain Jack."

Once Shreever past, talking to a shipmate."You know, it reminds me of how 'e was, before the dead man's chest." They both shared a mutual shiver of fear. Shreever crossed his fingers over his heart in a gesture of warding off evil.

"When 'e couldn't find his heading…" The two passed out of hearing to the ship's side.

Tom sat still for a moment, closing his eyes as a wave of exhaustion passed over him. It was too hot, compared to the cool, airy rooms of his home. The sweat was pouring off him and his clothes sticking to him in most patches like a second layer of skin. Ack. He slicked the sweat from his forehead with the back of his hand and tried to stand up, his legs wavering beneath him.

"I need a-." Suddenly the world swam around him like a minature vortex and he tumbled into blackness.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: Welcome aboard!

Sorry people for not updating sooner! I hope you like this chapter and keep reading cos it will relate to the summary in the next one ... :).heh. Just fleshing out the plot a bit! R&R this is my first fic lol :p. I am a novice at this whole thing xhugsx

Jack turned around at the wheel to the cry of:

"The Rat's gone down!" And looked to find the stowaway collapsed on the deck. Feeling that he should help him, Jack came over with a slightly drunken gait and scooped the boy-or young man-as he now saw, easily into his arms. He didn't really want to have to be responsible for killing the lad by making him clean the deck. Setting him down in some shade the pirate captain swiftly checked his weak pulse and barely visible breaths.

"Gettim some water!" A nearby deck hand supplied a full pitcher and Jack poured a little into Tom's mouth, holding his head gently. It was no use. He checked the boy's breathing again and tried to tip a bit more water down his throat. Unfortunately it just trickled back out. Jack stared into Tom's immobile face for a moment, then sighed and chucked most of the pitcher into it. Tom jerked into consciousness and began to choke violently as the water went down the wrong way. By doing so he headbutted Jack in the face. Both men reeled backwards, Jack clutching his nose.

"Watcha bloody tryin to do, Boy!"He cursed as blood flowed freely from his nose. With his other hand he waved around for a cloth and one was readily supplied by a member of the crew that had come to watch.

"Y'alright Cap'n?"

"Yes, yes I'm fine." Tom glared reproachfully at Jack, head pounding and world spinning a little.

"I'm sorry Captain Jack."Jack replied through the cloth something that sounded like:'...nearly broke my nose..." and threw the pitcher of water to Tom. Tom mentally thanked Jack for the water, drank a few deep handfulls, then poured the rest over his head. It was surprisingly refreshing.

By the end of the day Tom really knew the meaning of hard work. Since he'd never lifted a mop and bucket in his life, the first day the ship was an eye-opener for him. Not to mention the storm that night. Everyone was on the deck helping, shouting, pulling, hauling until it had passed. The crew went to their hammocks and slept till dawn.

Waking with a start as the boat made a particularly violent heave over some waves, Tom rolled out of the hammock and hit the lower deck with a solid thump. He made a moan of protest and pulled to his feet, his body aching everywhere. The crew's headquarters were empty so Tom vacated them and went to the main deck. Looking around he was spotted by Shreever and beckoned over. Him and Jack were sat by the mast on two rum barrels.

"Is there likely to be any rich folk followin' you, lad?" Tom examined Jack's boots.

"Yes, probably," He admitted grudgingly, "Why?" Shreever passed him the telescope.

"Behind us." Tom raised it to his eye and looked. In the distance he could see a ship with red sails. Oh dear. Even though they were far away he didn't fancy his chances. The crew of the Black Pearl wouldn't want him on board, they would see him as a nuisance. He returned the telescope dejectedly to his knee, because, although working on a pirate ship was bad, his now looming and previous fate was a lot worse. He turned to say 'How long have I got?', then frowned.

"Wait a minute," He spoke his thoughts out loud,"They shouldn't be missing me for at leats a week!" Both Jack and Shreever looked at him blankly. "Oh, I said I was going to get some exotic perfumes for the..wedding..." He spoke the last word sheepishly, knowing how it would sound to a stranger.

"Whose wedding, Boy?"

"Just...my mother's..." It was a bad lie and he knew it.

"You're running from your mother!" Exclaimed Shreever in disbelief.

"Yes, no, well, I-" Shreever shook the words away with a wave of his hand.

"No matter. But we ain't wanting trouble...Captain Jack?" Jack and Shreever looked at eachother. The Jack looked at Tom, his eyes were every dark brown.

"I have a great belief that my ship can outsail then anytime. She is the _Black Pearl._And the fastest ship in these waters!"

"Aye," muttered Shreever fervently,"We can outsail her, Jack, but to what cost?How many other royal ships will come tailing us?How important is this boy?" Tom could guess the Captain was listening, but Jack's gaze was elsewhere over the sundrenched sea.

"What is your name, Master Stowaway?" Tom stared directly into Jack's dark eyes, trying to boost his lie. He knew if these pirates..these men found out his true name he would be shipped over to the royal boat he knew as the 'Mayflower' in a matter of seconds in exchange for double the cost of any exotic perfumes he'd supposedly set out to buy.

"James Quillson." Jack narrowed his eyes slightly, as if against the sun, a slight frown crossing his tanned face, then looked away, past Tom.

"How do we know you're telling the truth?"

"You don't, Captain;"

"Then we shall have to give you up to the royal navy and see, shall we?"


End file.
